Will Spokane Valley, Kennewick Join Spokane in Banning Bitcoin Kiosks? (Cash Machines)

Spokane already banned the kiosks in 2025, now Kennewick and the City of Spokane Valley are considering similar ordinances.

   Why Are they Considering This Ban?

There are, according to bitcoindepot.com, 10 Bitcoin ATM locations in the Tri-Cities,  5 in Kennewick, 3 in Richland and two in Pasco. These are machines where you can convert cash into crypto currency using cash or a debit card.  Including other 'brands' of crypto, Officials say there's at least 16 overall in Kennewick.

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According to the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, Kennewick has discussed and the City Council is considering an ordinance banning these types of machines. Kennewick Police said the machines are increasingly being used as part of schemes to defraud citizens.

The KPD said, according to the Journal, they have seen growing fraud:

 "Kennewick Police have investigated nearly 40 cases of scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks since 2023, with total losses estimated at $923,771."

The companies who own and operate the machines, says the Journal, have refused to cooperate in investigations and have threatened legal action if their machines are removed, or required to be pulled.

 The Ordinance Would Require Removal of the Machines.

According to the Journal:

"The proposed ordinance would ban any new cryptocurrency kiosks from being installed and require any existing ones to be removed from local businesses within 60 days of the ordinance going into effect."

  The City of Spokane Valley is considering a similar ban, especially after one fraud victim involving a cryptocurrency ATM ended up committing suicide. The Center Square reports in 2025, the FBI investigated 13,460 complaints related to these operations, with a total fraud amount of $389 million nationwide. The majority of them involve persons 60 and older.